Class 1

Question 1

What is the vertebral column?

Answer 1

The vertebral column is a series of bones called vertebrae, are held together to give support for spinal cord and nerves arising from it

Question 2

How many vertebrae are there? and how many of them are moveable?

Answer 2

• Total of 33 vertebrae
•Only 24 are moveable

Question 3

From top to bottom, the vertebral column is divided into?

Answer 3

• cervical spine (7 vertebrae)
• thoracic spine (12 vertebrae)
• lumbar spine (5 vertebrae)
• sacrum (5 fused vertebrae)
• coccyx (4 fused vertebrae)

*each vertebra is numbered from top to bottom

Question 4

Cervical spine has how many vertebrae?

Answer 4

7

Question 5

Thoracic spine has how many vertebrae?

Answer 5

12

Question 6

Lumbar spine has how many vertebrae?

Answer 6

5

Question 7

Sacrum has now many vertebrae?

Answer 7

5 Fused Vertebrae

Question 8

Coccyx has how many vertebrae?

Answer 8

4 Fused Vertebrae

Question 9

Between the vertebrae are fibrocartilagenous discs called ____________.

Answer 9

Intervertebral Discs

Question 10

What is the key function for Intervertebral Disks?

Answer 10

Key function in weight bearing

Question 11

Intervertebral Disc is named for the _____________________ that it sits between.

Answer 11

Disc is named for 2 vertebrae that it sits between

Question 12

There is no intervertebral disc between ______________.

Answer 12

C1 and C2

Question 13

(Intervertebral Disks) Each disc has a fibrous outer layer called the ____________________.

Answer 13

Annulus Fibrosis

Question 14

(Intervertebral Disks) The annulus surrounds the inner substance which is called the ___________________.

Answer 14

Nucleus Pulposus

Question 15

Intervertebral disk innervation is _____________________.

Answer 15

aneural, except in the peripheral 1/3rd

Question 16

Intervertebral disk blood supply is _______________.

Answer 16

avascular

Question 17

Curves of the spine. Which are lordotic and which are kyphotic?

Answer 17

• cervical (lordotic)
• thoracic (kyphotic)
• lumbar (lordotic)
• sacral (kyphotic)

Question 18

_____________ and _____________ curves of the spine are termed primary (bc they develop during the________________)

Answer 18

Thoracic and sacral, fetal period

Question 19

______________ and _________________ curves of the spine are termed secondary (bc they develop when the _________________________________________)

Answer 19

Cervical and lumbar, infant starts lifting their head and walking

Question 20

Vertebral foreman = _______________________

Answer 20

spinal cord

Question 21

What is the body of vertebrae?

Answer 21

Large, heavy anterior part of vertebra (vertebral bodies get larger as you progress inferiorly)

Question 22

What is the vertebral arch?

Answer 22

This part encloses the vertebral foramen

Question 23

What part of the vertebrae is the pedicles?

Answer 23

The arch is formed anteriorly by 2 pedicles which project posteriorly from both sides of the superior part of the vertebral body

Question 24

What part of the vertebrae is the laminae?

Answer 24

As the pedicles project posteriorly, they meet 2 laminae

Question 25

What part of the vertebrae is the spinous process?

Answer 25

The laminae meet posteriorly to form a spinous process (SP)

Question 26

What part of the vertebrae is the articular processes?

Answer 26

Four articular processes also arise from arch: there are superior and inferior articular processes on right and on left (total: 4)

Question 27

What part of the vertebrae is the articular facet?

Answer 27

On each process is an articular facet: inferior facets of one vertebra articulate with superior facets of next lower vertebra (articular joints: a.k.a. zygapophysial joints)

Question 28

What part of the vertebrae is the pars interarticularis?

Answer 28

Area between superior and inferior articular processes (most common fracture site)

Question 29

What part of the vertebrae is the transverse processes?

Answer 29

Two transverse processes (TVPs) also arise from arch – they project laterally

Question 30

What part of the vertebrae is the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 30

There are notches on pedicles (superior and inferior vertebral notches) – vertebral notches of 2 adjacent vertebrae form an almost complete ring called intervertebral foramen

Question 31

Upper cervical spine consists of _______ and ________.

Answer 31

C1 & C2

Question 32

Lower cervical spine consists of _______-_______.

Answer 32

C3-C7

Question 33

C1 and C2 are ____________ vertebrae.

Answer 33

Atypical

Question 34

Key features of C1 (the atlas)

Answer 34

• varies significantly from a typical vertebra
• designed to support occipital region of skull
• anterior arch
• articular facet for dens
• 2 lateral masses
• superior articular surface
• the TVPs are projections from lateral masses
• PLATE 29: transverse foramen allows passage of vertebral artery
• groove for vertebral artery
• posterior arch
• vertebral foramen
• tubercle for transverse ligament of atlas
• transverse ligament of atlas – connects 2 lateral masses and divides vertebral foramen into a posterior portion for passage of spinal cord and an anterior portion which accommodates the dens of the axis – there is a thin layer
of cartilage on the anterior surface
• inferior articular surface
• NO VERTEBRAL BODY
• NO SPINOUS PROCESS

Question 35

What is the transverse ligament of atlas?

Answer 35

Connects 2 lateral masses and divides vertebral foramen into a posterior portion for passage of spinal cord and an anterior portion which accommodates the dens of the axis – there is a thin layer of cartilage on anterior surface